Fighting Fate
by Mileycfan4eva
Summary: Grace has always been selfish Ben just never knew how far she would go, will her choice cost Mik her life? How far will Ben go to save his sister, and his son. Will he be forced to sacrifice one for the other? Formerly called Choices
1. Chapter 1 Bad Blood and Assumptions

**Fandom: Manifest**

 **Title: Fighting Fate**

 **Chapter 1: Bad Blood and Assumptions**

 **P O V: Grace Stone**

"Cal, Olive let's go! School starts in thirty-five minutes," My fifteen year old twins Cal and Olive sluggishly came into the room eyes rolling away in their heads. Groaning as they popped bread into the toaster, grabbed orange juice, taking seats at the table. "Keep rolling those eyes, I promise you they will be permanently stuck in the back of your heads," Cal grunted as he flipped through the fridge. "Uh I am so not even hungry," My hand flew to his forehead as the words left his lips, "Mom uh over sensitive much.?" Maybe it was an over reaction but moms never stop worrying about their kids, for moms of kids with cancer the worry is 24/7, every sniffle, every chill, every stomach ache, loss of appetite, a slight rise in temp could be the start of an infection. One their cancer ridden bodies can't fight off.

Thankfully he felt normal "I thought Aunt Mik was taking us to school today?" Olive's question made me think "Yes you're right babe, has anyone seen Mik? Is she out running?" Both my kids shrugged sleepy sighing I turned to yell for my husband. "Ben have you seen your sister?" Coming inside from his morning run he kissed my check "Nope, just got in myself, her door is closed though so she's probably still sleeping." I couldn't stop the irritated sigh from escaping. Of course Ben took it personally glaring my direction as he grabbed a mug to fill with coffee. "She's had it rough Grace, don't throw around the attitude or make assumptions without knowledge." "I'm not giving any attitude Ben, she was suppose to drive the kids to school today, now I'll have to take them, which will make me late," "Mom we can walk, it's no big deal, it's literally like a 15 minute walk, dad will you be at my soccer game?" Olive jumped around excitedly. "Of course super star, I wouldn't miss it, I use to go to your aunt Mik's when she was on the team as well." "Aunt Mik played soccer? Cool!" "She did she was a forward and a sweeper, she loved the game ask her maybe she'll give you some pointers."

Olive tossed the milk to Cal as he got his cereal down from the cabinet both of them yelling to each other mocking me "don't throw the milk," just as I started to yell it, all of us cracking up. Just as the basement door opened and out came 26 year old Michaela stumbling her eyes looked sullen with dark rimmed under tones, blood shot, she was deathly pale. Great she's hung over again. "I'm going to shower now ladies try not to kill each other," With that my husband was off like the speed of lighting.

"Mik you we're suppose to drive the kids today," she grunted in response as she opened the fridge moaning leaning her head against the rack. Packing the lunches, checking my schedule. Which I would now have to rearrange I grunted out a series of pissed off remarks to her.

"If you don't want to take them at least have the decency to let me know in advance,"

"I get it their not your kids their not your responsibility, but I work my ass off all day to support this family, Ben is without a job, I have to make the money so all of you can have clean clothes, a roof over your heads, beds to sleep in food to keep you nourished. I depend on the help of my family,"

"Mom!" Cal yelled out I spun hearing the worry in his voice but he looked fine shoving cereal in his mouth.

"If you make me a promise to do something than I except that promise to be kept, I know you work, things come up,"

"Mom!" Olive yelled I wasn't going to be fooled this time I kept packing slicing cheese, meat spreading mayo, mustard. I could hear her coughing moaning slightly "If your about to vomit head to the bathroom, someday you'll have to grow the heck up Mik you can't keep partying like this, your 26 years old a cop, you need to stop this drinking shit, did you not learn your lesson when you got behind that wheel and killed your best friend?"

"MOM!" Both kids yelled causing me to take a deep breath damn I just crossed a line, Mik didn't lash out her coughing seemed to take over her ability to become angry, her voice was soft as she simply replied.

"I'm not drunk Grace, I have touched a drop since that night, I just feel like crap."

"Could of fooled me Mik, ever since the plane returned you've been passed out like a lead in that hole, barely eating, staying out late, you look like hell, just like you did five years ago before that crash."

"Ben can't support you forever he has two kids to support, he needs a damn job he doesn't have time to be worrying about your drunk immature ass," I heard her groan in response "Don't groan at me Mik, I help keep you sheltered, feed, a little graduate would be appreciated."

"Mom!" Both kids yelled "not now your aunt needs to learn….Thump… the sound caused my heart to race as I turned around in time to see Michaela collapse, blood pouring from her nose. "Cal get your father, Olive call 911 now!"

Picking her head up I could feel she was feverish fear raced through me oh god she was really sick, why did I make so many assumptions? Why didn't I treat her more like Cal, I should've checked her vitals, her temp before assuming she was drunk.

Thankfully the Ambulance arrived six minutes after we called Ben clutched her hand getting into the rig with them, the kids gathered their things and followed me to the car. "Will meet you there,"

Twenty minutes later Mik was in and out of consciousness as we waited for transport to take her down for some tests. Helping her to sit up I brushed back her hair back she was still running a high fever, her lips were chapped, bleeding. "Grace..." she coughed out pointing to the basin. Grabbing it I held it for her as she vomited blood up.

Her vitals were worrying me her BP is low 69/22, pulse is 55, oxygen stat is 65, Ben took her hand as Olive wiped her mouth holding the cup of water for her to drink out of so she could rinse.

Ben's fear was written all over his face, what could I say to him? How do I apologize to her? Still pondering what to say my cell went off "Hello?" "Grace, this is Dr. Taylor, I have the results of Cal's clinical trial here, I need to see you and Ben as soon as possible,"

Fear once again clutched me as I took Ben's free hand Mik's eyes had closed again her breathing hollowed out. "We're down in the Adult ER Dr. Taylor, Mik collapsed can you meet us here?" "Yes I will be there shortly."

Cal and Mik both have Acute Myeloid leukemia. Mik has had it since she was 12, Cal was diagnosed when he was eight. Five years ago Mik had achieved her fifth remission after a clinical trial, Cal had just been declared terminal after his second bone marrow transplant failed.

We had taken a trip to Jamaica to clear our heads, to celebrate Mik's remission status to give Cal a beautiful memory and help Mik after she made a reckless stupid choice and drove drunk killing her best friend. She had gone into a downward spiral of depression and drinking.

On our way back from vacation the plane was overbooked so Ben, Mik and Cal took a different plane flight 828, that flight changed our whole lives. It vanished without a trace, we believed it had crashed somewhere in the ocean, we mourned them, we had memorial services for them.

Two weeks ago the plane reappeared with no explanation to them it was two days for Olive and I it was five long painful years of rebuilding our lives, it took a long time but I met a new man Danny he was patient kind smart, funny and he helped heal both of us.

When the plane came back all our plans got derailed suddenly my husband is back, my son who I had thought had died. He hasn't aged none of them have, he should be 15 like Olive, he looks ten.

Now we are all left wondering what is going on with their Leukemia?

"Hello everyone, how are you?" Dr. Taylor came inside her room Cal nodded at his doctor. Ben took my hand as Mik slept. "I'll get right to it, I can see your all stressed as it is. I wish I had better news but Cal's trial failed, I am so sorry, however there is a bit of hope with new advancement in drugs I believe a Bone marrow transplant could work again, Olive is still is best match being his twin."

"It's not without risks of course nor is it 100% certain to work, but it is hopeful."

My mind was racing as fast as my heart Olive grabbed my hand "I'll do it Mom anything to help Cal beat this beast."

I could barely digest this news all I could do was hold my children and try to be strong, Ben was barely holding it together when Dr. Bentley came in. "Dr. Bentley why did Mik faint? Why is she bleeding?

"Ben I won't sugar coat it, your sister's extremely sick her hemoglobin is 8.1, her hematocrit is 30.9, platelets are 10,180, she needs a transfusion fast, her white cells are 12,280, her MRI is showing leukemic blasts in her spine as well as her brain, I have a BMA ordered, I'm waiting on another doctor before we can start,"

"Doctor if her BMA comes back positive what are our options?"

"Truthfully we've run out of them, she's had two transplants both have failed, her trial failed, Chemo won't even touch her cancer, we can try a third BMT, this time using Olive's she's a match as we found out five years ago,"

Sighing my worst fear had come to life one donor two in need, who would get this transplant? "Dr. Bentley Cal has relapsed Olive is his best hope, is it possible that she could donate to two recipients?"

"Very possible however time is of the essences, her blood will need weeks, maybe even months to rejuvenate enough to be able to draw enough for each transplant, I can't speak for Cal, but judging by just these results without even seeing the percentage of blasts in her marrow, if in fact she has relapsed, I don't believe Mik will last. She needs a transplant, and soon."

"The choice is up to you guys."

What choice my son's life or my sister in law's? How could any of us be excepted to make that choice? I could see the anguish on Ben's face twisting his features, pain glowing in tears as he looked between both, for me there was only one choice.

My son.


	2. Chapter 2 Hiding The Truth

**Chapter 2: Hiding The Truth**

 **P O V: Michaela Stone**

I've never been totally honest with Ben in just how badly a bone marrow aspiration hurts. I don't know if he could take the truth to know that even with local anesthesia this shit hurts so bad, Ben's a healer he wants to protect his family, his friends if he knew that I was practically biting through my lower lip so I wouldn't cry out in pain. He would lose it if he thought about the fact his ten year old son has to go through this every time as well. He'd be in jail I know my brother he would rip that needle right out of the doctor's hands and shove it in their hip.

I'm awake unlike Cal who is normally knocked out the anesthesia numbs my hip, yet I feel the pressure as they twist the needle into my hip, pressure can be just as bad as pain. I can name the needle they use it's called a Jamshidi 2 perfect name since their actually jamming it into my hip. I've been dealing with this almost my whole life.

I've developed many techniques to take myself away from my current situation, I call it my inner calm. Today I've decided to let my mind wonder back to the days of our youth when Ben and I were kids we would chase each other through the field near our house.

Okay truth in reality I was the one chasing Ben and his cute friends brothers Jason, Mason as they tried to run away from me. Usually yelling things like Yuck no girls, go away, or Ben your little sister is being annoying.

The amazing thing was that Ben who could of agreed with them and many of his other friends well he wouldn't sure he ran away from me but he never disrespected me or shoved me away, he would wait for me to catch up with him. Tackle me, tickle me till I cried, we'd wrestle usually ending up in the mud. He'd always make me feel better after his friends made me feel silly or unworthily.

Breathe Mik just breathe as I stare up at the white ceiling in the doctor's office. I tried to see the sky as I imagined myself laying in that field. Today it's hard really hard to see anything except this ceiling, to hear the birds chirping, the river rushing by or feel the sun on my skin. All I hear is the drill as it cracks my bone, the beeping of the machines which track my vitals, the chills running over my body.

I can feel the tears sliding down my checks. I never cry so why today? My blood boils, my inner calm isn't so calm. Today my emotions betray me, I guess I should be use to that my body betraying me. Ben is quick to wipe my tears from my face which embarrasses me, he rarely comes into the testing areas with me even when we were younger Ben's approach to handling my cancer was well to ignore it.

"It's okay to cry Mik. I can be strong for both of us, close your eyes take a deep breath. Breathe Mik I got this, I got you."

I want to tell him he's already been my rock for too long that Grace is right he has a son to worry about a life to reclaim. That he doesn't need to worry about me anymore, I've come to accept this, that my life has never been fully my own, it's always been robbed by this monster called Leukemia.

I know the statistics, I know their not in my favor if this is a relapse, my fifth, I know the reality that awaits me. He doesn't need to be here he cheated death, he got a second chance, he should be with his wife and kids.

I can't though I am exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally. All I can do is close my eyes, take a deep breath like he tells me to and hope that this is just an infection not a relapse.

"Squeeze my hand Mik, you won't break it."

"Ow," he regrets that offer soon after yet somehow it makes me smile, which makes him smile, his finger traces my tears as they trail down my checks, "Think back to the days when we would blast Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and run through those fields in the back of our childhood homes, remember how when you were seven you caught a firefly and you captured it in a jar, for your school project"

I can't speak the pressure is so bad right now it's given me an instant headache, my stomach is twisting. So I breathe out in an almost grunt state, he takes it as a yes. "You were so upset when you learned that they would die in captivity that their glow would be diminished forever that you woke up in the middle of the night and set the little creature free, you took the F for that class project. Mom and dad were so mad at you but you told them."

"No one should decide when time is up expect for God," I finished for him as he nodded. "Mik your time isn't up no matter how horrible you feel right now, you have a lot more good on earth to do yet, so don't quit, you can have your moments of weakness, that's okay it's why God gave us each other, but you can't quit, I won't let you."

Big brothers I guess their good for more than mud hugs huh? Too bad they can't make monsters like Cancer go away. Or the results of this test hurt less.


End file.
